


Red

by Bannerific (Nellethiel)



Series: Of Science and Soldiers - 100 One-Shots [2]
Category: Incredible Hulk (2008), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Anger, Blood, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Pre-Slash, Science Boyfriends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-11
Updated: 2012-12-11
Packaged: 2017-11-20 21:16:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/589715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nellethiel/pseuds/Bannerific
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony pushes Steve just a bit too far, and Bruce has to help clean up the aftermath.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red

**Author's Note:**

> Translation into Português available: [Vermelho](http://archiveofourown.org/works/992453) by [Rosetta (Melime)](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Melime/pseuds/Rosetta)

Tony had told Bruce that he would replace the shirt. Bruce believed him. And he really did appreciate it. But he just couldn't break himself of that "I only own two shirts" feeling, though Tony had insisted on filling Bruce's closet with shirts that cost more than Bruce's first car. So Bruce found himself standing over the sink in Tony's enormous laundry room, his fingers wrinkled from being immersed in water for so long, his glasses speckled with tiny droplets. The water had stopped running pink, finally, but the shirt was still discoloured, stained. With a sigh, the doctor pulled open the cabinet next to the sink, searching for a stain remover. But he knew that even if the shirt came out perfect, every mark removed, Bruce wouldn't be able to forget what it felt like to be covered in Tony's blood.

Bruce always figured that if he were ever going to have to take care of Tony, it would be because of a fight with some terrorist or bank robber or alien mastermind or something. And so it had been, more than once. Just last week, Bruce had to patch up a gash to Tony's shoulder, which he had used to stop an out-of-control semi-truck. It wasn't that Bruce minded being in charge of first aid for Tony, or even for the rest of the team. He just minded seeing Tony hurt; not due to the pain, but because he knew Tony hated feeling vulnerable and needy. What Bruce never expected, however, was what had happened on that otherwise quiet Thursday night.

He wasn't really sure how it all started. Bruce had been curled up on the end of the couch, his nose in a book. (Almost literally. He really did need new glasses.) Clint and Tasha were off helping Fury with who knew what, and Thor was visiting with Jane. That left Bruce, Steve, and Tony alone for the evening. So Steve began flipping through one of many sketchbooks, tearing out some of the pages, which he apparently found therapeutic. Tony was on the floor, pages of blueprints, design ideas, and formulas spread out all around him. For all of Tony's tech, sometimes he just needed to grind things out, a pencil in his hand. And Bruce settled in near a lamp and let himself be swallowed up in a biography of Henry VII.

And so it was that, quite suddenly it seemed to Bruce, Steve and Tony were shouting at each other, the soldier's face red with anger and the inventor's hands balled into fists. Bruce had just pulled himself out of his book long enough to take in the scene when Tony was on the ground, blood gushing from his nose, and Steve was storming out of the room, seemingly oblivious to the footprints he was leaving on Tony's notes. Then Bruce was on his feet, he was at Tony's side, Tony's blood was hot and vibrant red as it flowed onto Bruce's hands, his shirt was off and pressed to Tony's nose and blood was already seeping through it, he was nauseated as he hadn't been in ages. It was at that point that Pepper rushed in to help, having run into the captain in the hallway, a first aid kit in her hands. Together they packed Tony's nose with gauze and finally got the bleeding under control, Tony fussing all the while about being fussed over, and complaining about the smears on his papers that were darkening as they dried. If Pepper noticed that Bruce's hands were shaking as he assessed the severity of Tony's broken nose, she was kind enough not to comment.

They managed to drag the whole story out of the billionaire, who admitted with a dramatic rolling of the eyes that he probably deserved to be knocked on his ass, but lamented the fact that this particular blow just had to come from a guy with "enough muscles to take out a fucking school bus". His impromptu medical team gently agreed. Bruce couldn't help but admire Pepper's good humour about the whole situation, but wasn't particularly surprised given how long she'd known Tony. She busied herself tidying up Tony's papers, trying unsuccessfully to hide her grimaces as she separated the bloodstained ones from the clean ones. And with a few quiet words of thanks to her, Bruce helped Tony to his feet with an arm around his waist and led him to a more appropriate location for setting broken noses.

Once Bruce had finally convinced Tony that a few aspirin and some sleep would help ease the throbbing in his head, he had made for the laundry room, not really expecting any success at cleaning the shirt, but hoping that it might make him feel better. All in all, he couldn't say he blamed their patriotic friend for his actions. But he couldn't help but be reminded that, for all Tony's strength, and insistence to the contrary, he was human, and so very breakable. What if Tony met with _his_ anger one night?

Bruce slammed the cabinet door shut and threw his shirt in the trashcan. He needed a cup of tea and his book and maybe some Bach to calm his nerves.


End file.
